Small farm, big dream

KIMBALL, Minn. — Anna Donnay has had a single goal for some time that she has been continuously working towards.

“I have always wanted to come back to the farm,” Donnay said. “I have always dreamed of having a yogurt or ice cream business on the farm.”

Donnay graduated from South Dakota State University with a degree in dairy manufacturing and dairy production, and she is back home on the farm working in tandem with her parents, John and Chris Donnay, to transition the farm and eventually install a processing plant.

“I worked in the Davis Dairy Plant in Brookings and I made cheese and ice cream there, which was an eye-opening experience,” Donnay said. “I just love the fact that you can take milk and make it into so many things and sell it directly to the consumer. I find it just fascinating.”

Donnay and her parents milk 40 organic cows — a mix of Holstein, Jersey and Ayrshire — in a stanchion barn near Kimball. Since she graduated from college in December 2021, Donnay has been working on her family’s farm and on other farms across the country to learn more about dairy farming and on-farm processing.

“When I came back to the farm, I didn’t know anybody besides my dad and a few of his farming friends,” Donnay said. “I felt like I needed to get out and experience how other farms operate. While in college I was a distance runner on the Jackrabbits cross country and track teams and because of that I couldn’t participate in a lot of the dairy clubs and trips.”

The summers of 2022 and 2023, Donnay spent working on an educational dairy farm in Pennsylvania that hosted summer camps. Then, she participated in the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship program that led to her to spend 10 months working at a dairy farm in Vermont that had an on-farm bottling facility.

“I heard about the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship program and thought it would be a good fit,” Donnay said. “I submitted my application on Friday and by Sunday I had 10 people reaching out to me asking to work for them.”

On her application, Donnay said she mentioned she would like to be on a farm that has on-farm processing since she would like to implement the practice on her own family farm. Donnay selected Miller Farm in Vermont because they bottled milk.

“I learned a lot while I was there,” Donnay said. “I helped them and they helped me. It was a win-win situation. It was an adjustment to be so far away from home but their family took me in as one of their own, which added to the whole experience.”

While there, Donnay helped on the farm where they milk 250 cows and bottle a portion of their milk. She got experience with herd health, A.I. breeding, operations in the bottling facility, along with the business aspect of on-farm processing.

“The beautiful thing is that on the East Coast there are so many small dairy farms that are processing their own milk,” Donnay said. “It was a great vibe and it is slowly coming to the Midwest. So, it gives me a lot of hope that it is possible, what I want to do here.”

Then, in the summer of 2024, Donnay heard about a tour with the U.S. Ayrshire Breeders Association to visit 16 farms in Great Britain. More than 100 participants from 10 different countries traveled with the group.

“It was an amazing experience to see another country and to network with farmers,” Donnay said. “I am grateful for all these experiences, memories, and connections I have made. However, since I have returned home it feels like home, and (I) know the farm is where I should be.”

Today, Donnay takes care of the livestock on the farm and gets help from her mom with milking. Her dad and brother take care of the feeding and the crops. Donnay’s three siblings come to the farm and help when they can even though they are each married and have children of their own.

“My family is all very supportive of me and the farm,” Donnay said. “Even though my siblings aren’t here all the time, I know they all have a passion for the farm and are supporting me. It’s a special place to be.”

When Donnay’s dad took over the farm from his dad, he was told to make it his own. That is when the farm went certified organic. Now, Donnay’s dad repeated the directive, telling Donnay to make the farm her own. And that is exactly what she plans on doing.

“I have always felt the call to feed our community,” Donnay said. “There are a lot of farmers markets and farm stands out there but there isn’t a lot of dairy within that. I am passionate about giving back to my community and providing a food source to my community. That’s why I also feel passionate about coming back to the farm.”

Donnay said that she would like to start right away with on-farm processing, but she understands that it will take time to find a system that works for their farm, family and community.

“I am just so grateful to have my parents’ support,” Donnay said. “It is a commitment and there are a lot of unknowns in the future, but I feel that I can get through them with God on my side, my parents and my community’s support.”